Billy the Apple, SpongeBob and Friends Ride
Billy the Apple, SpongeBob and Friends Ride is a simulator ride featured at the Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood theme parks. It was first announced in 2017 and replaced the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem at both locations.11 The ride at Universal Studios Florida soft opened on August 15, 2017 in the World Expo area, and the official ceremonies took place on August 15. The ride at Universal Studios Hollywood opened on August 15, 2017 in the Upper Lot area. Billy the Apple, SpongeBob and Friends Ride was collaborated on by the producers of Nicktoons, and uses computer generated 3D animation, which was provided by Blur Studio and Reel FX. 2D animation was provided by Film Roman. The ride uses state of the art technology, including a new projection system and new hydraulics. Ride summary Queue To enter the ride's queue area, visitors must walk through a giant Krusty the Clown head which leads them into a pavilion under various circus tents themed to carnival stalls. Various posters in the queue display advertisements for the attractions at the park, while various HD television monitors display clips from the TV show as well as moments from Krusty's past and live animated footage from Krustyland. The queue area ends with a sign instructing guests to wait for a short time before entering "Krusty's Carnival Midway". Pre-show In the midway, riders line-up into rows to wait for a confirmation from Krusty. TV screens posted inside the walls on the left and right sides of the room display the residents of Springfield running the midway booths at the park. Soon, Krusty appears on another screen in front of guests and prepares to pick a family to ride his "Thrilltacular: Upsy-Downsy Spins-Aroundsy Teen-Operated Thrillride", the most extreme ride at the park. While Krusty is not looking, Sideshow Bob and Vendetta appears in a Itchy and Scratchy costume and steps on Homer Simpson's foot causing him to yell "D'oh!" and Krusty picks the Simpson family, SpongeBob, Billy the Apple, Bob the Frozen Yogurt, Buzz the Bee and friends. Krusty asks them to pick another group to go with them, and Bart chooses the riders. While Krusty leads them into a waiting room, Sideshow Bob and Vendetta bursts out into evil laughter. Riders are then ushered into the pre-flight "Funhouse" room by a team member. Here, Krusty leads everyone into a backstage area where Grampa and Maggie Simpson are told not to ride due to certain safety restrictions. Grampa falls asleep while Maggie crawls into a nuclear reactor room with Lily, causing her to grow larger. Meanwhile, Krusty leads everyone into a ride room where he tells them to enjoy the ride, before Sideshow Bob and Vendetta appears, knocks Krusty out and tells everyone to enter the ride vehicle. Homer enters, followed by the rest of the family. Vendetta then tells Mr. Tickle, Mr. Bump, SpongeBob and Friends and the riders that they must watch a legally required safety video. Itchy and Scratchy host this video, in which they show riders what can happen to them if they do not follow ride requirements along with a female announcer telling the riders the safety instructions. The screen then displays a list of the safety reminders while riders are ushered into the main ride room. Ride The ride portion is 16 minutes long. Riders with heart conditions, motion sickness, claustrophobia or similar conditions are not permitted to ride. After riders enter a Krusty themed ride car vehicle, Sideshow Bob, Grudge and Vendetta appears on a TV screen in the ride cabin and lifts the car up onto the ride with everyone in front of them. The coaster begins going down various drops while Bob swings a wrecking ball at riders. Soon, the riders fly off the coaster and into the "Happy Little Elves in Panda Land" attraction with Mr. Strong, Miss Sunshine, Mr. Bump, Bart, SpongeBob, Patrick, Sandy Cheeks and his sister Lisa, where Bob and Vendetta takes control of an evil panda and chases them through the attraction. The ride then flies off the track again and enters "Captain Dinosaur's Pirate Rip-Off" with Homer, Mr. Krabs, Billy, Buzz, Bob, Mr. Tickle and Marge. The riders then travel through that attraction and arrive at "Krusty's Wet and Smoky Stunt Show" where they are taken racing in circles while tied to a killer whale before Bob and Vendetta corners them at the attractions exit. Maggie and Lily, still giant-sized, appears and grabs and bangs him into the vehicle, which almost falls into Hell before it is saved by Robot Jones, Mom Unit and Dad Unit and even Powerpuff Girls. Bob and Vendetta then steals Maggie and Lily’s pacifier and tells her that she must destroy Springfield to get it back (Vendetta: Maggie and Sideshow Bob: Lily). Riders then take a ride through Springfield before encountering Maggie again, who mistakes their car for a new pacifier, and sucks on them repeatedly, before spitting them out, catapulting them into the Simpsons' house. People is sitting on their couch when Kang and Kodos appear and turn their couch into Krusty's "Death Drop" ride. The riders are then dropped down from the sky, encountering various crossover characters along the way. They land back at the entrance to Krustyland, where Bob prepares to kill them, before the couch everyone are sitting on drops onto him. The vehicle is then calmly lowered back down to the ground while mist, fire, electricity and smoke effects spray, and Krusty appears on the TV screen above the wall. Krusty is sitting in a control room and pushes an emergency button, causing the vehicle to vibrate, ending the ride. After the gullwing doors on the car lift up, guests exit the ride.12 Production History Ride mechanics The six minute ride uses 80-foot IMAX screens and Sony Projectors.17 There are 24 ride cars, each seating 12 people,13 and approximately 2000 people can ride it per hour.18 The projection system features new digital technology which makes the resolution two times better than most digital movie theatres. The video is projected onto two dome screens which are made of 416 panels (each 4 feet by 3 feet) and is approximately 85 feet tall and 85 feet wide. The projector itself uses a custom-made semi-circular fisheye lens to project undistorted images and plays at a rate of 60 frames per second. In comparison, most feature films project at 24 frames per second.13 The animation in the ride uses computer generated 3D animation rendered by Blur Studio and Reel FX,19 rather than the traditional 2-D animation seen on The Simpsons and the queue and pre-show of the ride.20 The animation reference was provided by Film Roman, the animation studio that animates the series.21 Each car contains 12 speakers and a Dolby 6.1 surround sound, while the domes contain an additional 90 speakers.13 Billy the Apple, SpongeBob and Friends Ride uses new technology that cuts down on its energy consumption. According to Universal Studios, the ride is able to save over 55,000 watts per hour and 662,000 watts per day. The ride includes over 2,500 LED lights, the largest number in theme park history, which allows the ride to cut down on energy on lighting by almost one quarter when compared with incandescent lighting. Cast *Jacob Hopkins - Gumball Watterson, Robot Jones (replacing Bobby Block and MacInTalk Junior) *Bobby Block - Darwin Watterson, Happy Little Elf #2 *Tom Kenny - SpongeBob SquarePants, Rabbit *Cathrine Taber - Vendetta, Lori Loud *Collin Dean - Lincoln Loud *Grey DeLisle - Shannon, Wubbzy, Mom Unit, Happy Little Elf #1, Lana Loud, Lola Loud, Lily Loud *Lara Jill Miller - Widget, Huggy, Lisa Loud *Carlos Alazraqui - Walden, Earl *Tara Strong - Lisa Loud (scream only), Daizy, Bubbles *MacInTalk Ralph - Dad Unit *Dan Castellantea - Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Barney Grumble, Groundskeeper Willie, Hans Moleman, Jeremy Freedman, Mr. Freidman, Kodos, Buzz the Bee *Christopher Lloyd - Doc Brown *Nancy Cartwright - Bart Simpson, Maggie Simpson, Ralph Wiggum, Nelson Muntz, Happy Little Elf #3 *Liliana Mumy - Leni Loud *Nika Futterman - Luna Loud, Charolette *Christina Pucelli - Luan Loud, Computer Voice *Jessica DiCicco - Lynn Loud, Lucy Loud *John DiMaggio - Chunk *Jeff Bennett - Mick Swagger *Caleel Harris - Clyde *Fred Willard - Pop Pop, Uncle Larry *Catherine O’Hara - Wubbzy’s Mother *Bill Fagerbakke - Patrick Star *Clancy Brown - Mr. Krabs *Carloyn Lawrence - Sandy Cheeks *Rodger Bumpass - Squidward Tentacles *Bill Kopp - Himself *Kelsey Grammer - Sideshow Bob *Hank Azaria - Professor Frink, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe Szyslak, Chief Clancy Wiggum, Snake Jailbird *Unknown Voice Actor - Little Lulu, Gabby, Socks, Cubey, Mitch, Tiny the Fleegle *Yeardley Smith - Lisa Simpson, Herself *Julie Kavner - Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, Selma Bouvier *Cathy Cavadini - Blossom *E.G. Daily - Buttercup *Tom Kane - Professor Utonium, Talking Dog *Peter Merryman - Grudge *Dan Russell - Richard Watterson *Teressa Gallagher - Nicole Watterson *Sam Gold - Mr. Happy *Richard Epcar - Mr. Noisy *Aaron Albertus - Mr. Bump, Mr. Quiet *Jeff Stewart - Mr. Tickle *Alicyn Packard - Little Miss Whoops, Little Miss Sunshine *Phil Lollar - Mr. Lazy, Mr. Strong *No Voice Actor - Mr. Tall, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Mr. Nervous, Mr. Rude, Pig *Reba West - Little Miss Giggles *Joseph T. Terry - Mr. Scatterbrain *Billy West - Billy the Apple *Eric Edlestien - Bob the Frozen Yogurt, Tea Cup, Bread, Tree, Moose *Bill Farmer - Worm #1 *Jim Cummings - Worm #2, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger *Travis Oates - Piglet, Worm #3, Worm #4, Worm #5, Boy #1, Boy #2, Boy #3, Boy #4, Boy #5 *Peter Cullen - Eeyore *Jimmy Bennett - Roo *Tress MacNeille - Kanga *Andre Stojka - Owl *Michael J. Gough - Gopher, Letter X, Letter V, Letter D, Letter E, Letter W, Letter Y, Letter U *Tony Cox - Letter B, Letter A, Letter C, Number 16, Number 52, Number 36 Category:Current Attractions Category:Newest Attractions Category:Motion Simulator Rides Category:Non-Universal Themed Rides Category:Organization Category:2017